Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said Sunday during his visit to Baghdad that it was the right time for the two countries to promote bilateral ties.
"We feel that it is the proper time to visit Iraq and go deeper into better relations between Iraq and Egypt," Abul Gheit told reporters after holding talks with his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari.
The two sides have agreed to reopen the Egyptian embassy in Baghdad, Abul Gheit said, adding that he had visited several locations to select a suitable one for the Egyptian embassy in Baghdad.
For his part, Zebari said that both countries could benefit from strong ties and that Egypt could help Iraq to develop its infrastructure.
"We can both make advantage from our better relations and Egypt can also take part in helping us in rebuilding infrastructure and agriculture," Zebari told a joint news conference together with Abul Gheit.
Meanwhile, Abul Gheit revealed that Egyptian Petroleum Minister Sameh Fahmi, who accompanied him, had met with Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani, and both sides agreed on enhancing cooperation in the fields of oil and gas.
The landmark visit is a sign that Arab nations are trying to restore normal ties with Iraq after over five years of U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
In July 2005, an Egyptian top diplomat Ihab al-Sherif was kidnapped and killed by suspected al-Qaida militants in an attempt to prevent Arab and Islamic countries from holding diplomatic ties with the U.S.-backed Iraqi government.
Iraq has been urging world countries to establish ties with it, particularly calling on the Arab world to name their ambassadors and open their embassies in Baghdad.
Sunni Arab countries had been reluctant to restore close ties because of the ongoing warfare, and have been cool to the Shiite-dominated Iraqi government.
The United States repeatedly encouraged Arab allies to strengthen their ties with Iraq as a way of countering the growing influence of Iran and reinforcing its Arab identity.
Source:Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article